Aggies Overcome Slow Start to Defeat Gophers 3-1 in Volleyball Opener

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas A&M Aggies started slowly but improved their play to secure a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers in their AVCA First Serve tournament opener on Monday night. The match, held at the Moody Center, concluded with set scores of 25-23, 21-25, 25-21, and 25-21.

Despite some early struggles, including 14 attack errors in the first two sets, the Aggies found their rhythm. Senior opposite Logan Lednicky led the team with a double-double, recording 22 kills and 12 digs. He previously finished last season with 492 kills.

The Aggies and Gophers traded points in the first two sets, with A&M taking a critical early lead in set one after a dramatic 7-1 run. In set two, however, Minnesota seized control after scoring the first point and eventually tied the match at 18 before taking the set.

In the third set, Lednicky was aided by outside hitter Emily Hellmuth, who tallied 10 kills, including a vital series of points during a 4-1 run in the fourth set. Hellmuth’s offensive prowess in the last two sets was essential to the Aggies’ success.

A&M head coach Jamie Morrison noted that his team had better control of passing in the latter sets, which significantly contributed to their offensive effectiveness against Minnesota. The Aggies will continue their season at the Rice Invitational, set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, where they will face the Rice Owls and Central Arkansas.